Sticking plasters, which comprise an adhesive backing sheet and a small absorbent dressing (both protected by a cover sheet until required) are very well known and are widely used to protect minor flesh wounds from dirt and contamination. Sticking plasters are commonly termed "plasters" and are available in a range of sizes and with a variety of backing sheet types and colours.
It is common in most workplaces for the management to provide a small supply of plasters for use by employees. Typically the plasters supplied will be suited to the nature of the work conducted. For example, in food handling or medical situations it is desirable for any plaster worn by an operator to have a clearly visible (eg bright blue) backing sheet. The clear visibility of the plaster helps to avoid an inadvertently displaced plaster contaminating the food or medical materials being prepared or handled.
The minor nature of the wound to be protected by the plaster means that medical consultation concerning the wound itself or concerning the need for a plaster is unnecessary, and also that the number of incidents requiring the application of a plaster are relatively high. Generally, therefore, the limited supply of plasters provided will be reasonably accessible, with the injured person themselves deciding on the need for a plaster, collecting a suitably sized and shaped plaster and applying it to the affected area. However, the provision of a limited but generally accessible supply of plasters, by an employer, in a school or otherwise, is unfortunately open to abuse. This arrangement leaves open the possibility that individuals can remove a substantial amount of the whole supply of plasters for their own use in the future. Continual replenishment of stolen plasters would clearly be an unacceptable expense. To circumvent this problem "pilfer-proof" systems have been devised in which sticking plasters can only be removed one at a time and without at least some of their wrapping. Thus plasters continue to be available to those in genuine need, but the removal of multiple plasters for use at a later date becomes impractical.
One such system, illustrated in FIG. 1, is sold under the trademark SALVEQUICK. The system consists of a cardboard folder or booklet 1 which is fastened by staples 4, along the bottom edge to retain a number of wrapped plasters 2. Typically, the cardboard booklet 1 will be wide enough to contain two or three plasters 2 in each row, and for example may have 18 such rows (for clarity only the first row of plasters is shown). The booklet 1 is designed to slot into a compartment of a wall mounted first aid cabinet (not shown). The front cover 3 of the booklet 1, which is shorter than the back cover to expose and permit access to the plasters 2, will in use be located behind a lip at the front edge of the compartment and the lip acts to prevent the whole booklet from being removed. To further ensure that the booklet is retained, four equally spaced vertical cuts are present in the cover 3, the cuts extending from the top edge down substantially the whole of the cover 3 so that it consists of four finger portions 9. To remove the booklet 1, it would be necessary to simultaneously depress all four fingers 9 past the lip of the compartment edge. The front of the compartment has a number of apertures located therein, the apertures being close to the top edge of the compartment and at varying distances therefrom. A key having projections corresponding to the aperture positions and of a length sufficient to pass through the apertures and depress each finger 9 past the lip is provided so that used booklets 1 can be removed and replaced.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 each plaster 5 contained within the SALVEQUICK system is protected by two partial and overlapping wrappers 7, 8. The top wrapper 7 is however only present in plasters for the UK market. This top wrapper 7, when present, may conveniently be transparent to display the plaster 5, and may extend down approximately one third of the length of plaster 5. The lower wrapper 8 protects the remaining portion of the plaster 5 and extends below the bottom of the plaster 5 into the fold of the booklet 1. The lower wrapper 8 is firmly attached to the booklet 1 by staples 4. The top edge of the lower wrapper 8 and the bottom edge of the top wrapper 7 are glued together, the glued edges of each wrapper projecting outwardly from the sticking plaster 5 at each side thereof to form tabs 6. To remove the plaster 5, the top portion thereof is grasped firmly (via top wrapper 7, if present) and pulled upwardly. The plaster 5, which may be partially protected by the top wrapper 7, is then dislodged from the lower wrapper 8, as the two wrappers 7, 8 pull part along each tab 6. The lower portion of the removed sticking plaster 5 is exposed and can be applied immediately. The lower wrapper 8 remains in the booklet 1. Plaster 5 can then be fully applied, if necessary following removal of the top wrapper 7, which can be easily accomplished by pulling on the exposed tab 6 (which was previously glued to the lower wrapper 8). Whilst the plaster 5 is ready for application as soon as it is removed from the booklet, the SALVEQUICK system does not provide sterile plasters.